The present invention relates, in general, to performance measuring equipment for cooling towers and, in particular, to a new and useful cooling tower monitor which utilizes simple function blocks to monitor the performance of a cooling tower.
Cooling towers are steady-flow devices which are utilized to remove heat from water. Most industrial processes generate waste heat and this heat must be dissipated. Cooling towers use a combination of mass and energy transfer to cold water by exposing the water as an extended surface to the atmosphere. The water surface is extended by filling, which presents a film surface or creates drops due to splashing. The water may also be sprayed to produce droplets. An air flow is established past the water either in a cross-flow relationship or in a counter-flow relationship.
The ASHRAE Equipment Handbook of 1975 at chapter 21 describes cooling towers and methods of measuring their performance.
Performance calculations can be achieved only by computers with high level programming languages. The performance calculations cannot be performed by analog devices in an effective manner. "Chiller Plant Energy Conservation Operations" by K. Sinnamohideen and N. Olmstead, discloses the use of digital computers for calculating performance of a cooling tower. An article by K. Cooper of York division Borg-Warner Corp. entitled "Utilizing Water Chillers Efficiently" implies the performance of calculations to obtain a cooling tower performance value, but it is assumed that these calculations would also be performed utilizing a computer with high level programming language.
Currently, there are no effective tools for monitoring cooling tower performance except for computers. Computers however, require high level language which takes a relatively long period of time for processing and also requires highly trained personnel for its operation. This results in high cost.